Cohabit
by Kalimyre
Summary: At the Shangri-La, roles change and Daphne begins to see Niles in a new light.  N/D, complete.
1. Chapter 1

Cohabit: _**verb - **__to live together, to share the same space, to be intimate_

**000**

Niles frowned at the newspaper, rattling it sulkily in his hands. Most of the apartment listings were entirely unacceptable, and the few that he would consider livable were well out of his price range. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then propped his chin in his hands and stared blankly across Frasier's living room. He missed the Montana. Although his apartment there was oversized and sometimes lonely, it was also quiet and peaceful and _home. _

At Frasier's place he was becoming an increasingly unwelcome guest. Frasier had been kind enough to offer him a place to stay while he looked for an apartment, now that Maris had put a stranglehold on his funds and he couldn't afford the Montana anymore. That kindness was rapidly running out though, and Niles had not failed to notice the unsubtle hints Frasier had tossed his way. Including the newspaper left out on the table, opened to the housing section, where he couldn't miss it.

He heard footsteps in the hallway, and lifted his head, smiling. He knew the sound of Daphne's walk, the graceful glide of her steps and the soft swish of her slippers on the wooden floor. Sleeping under the same roof as her was the one bright spot in staying at Frasier's, and the main reason he wasn't trying very seriously to find his own place.

"Good morning, Daphne," he said as she came around the corner. "Can I get you some coffee?"

"Morning, Doctor Crane," she said, and smiled at him. "I'll get it myself, thanks. You're up early, aren't you?"

"Not as early as I should have been," Niles replied glumly. "I'm afraid Frasier and I overslept and I made him late for his interview this morning."

"Oh, dear," Daphne said. "That one he kept talking about? He said it was important."

Niles nodded. "Apparently I kept him up too late and made him sleep through his alarm."

"Oh, now, I'm sure it's not your fault," Daphne said kindly. She sat down at the table and patted his hand. "You've been such a considerate guest, even making dinner every night! You're not any trouble."

"That's nice of you to say," Niles replied, warmed as always by her compassion. "I guess I am pretty hard to live with though. Maris got tired of it and she didn't even have to share a room with me."

Daphne patted his hand again, and then squeezed his wrist gently, her hand warm and soft against his skin. "Hush," she said. "I like having you here. Besides, it's only temporary, until you find your own place."

"My own place," Niles echoed. "I have my own place, I just can't afford it anymore." His shoulders drooped, and he felt heat rising up his cheeks. There was no reason to be embarrassed; Daphne knew perfectly well why he was staying there, but he couldn't help feeling ashamed.

"You know," Daphne said, "I once stayed on a friend's couch for four months before I could get my own place."

Niles lifted his head, surprised. "Really? When was that?"

"Oh, back in Manchester." Daphne's hand was still on his arm, her thumb stroking absently over his wrist. Niles kept still so she wouldn't notice and take it away. "I was still studying to be a physical therapist, and working as a waitress, but my landlord decided to sell the place and I had to move out. I didn't have enough for a security deposit and first month's rent on anyplace new, and I certainly wasn't going to move back in with me parents, so I stayed with Angie for a while. It was no picnic, either!"

"Why not?" Niles asked.

"You know how it is, when there isn't quite enough room and things aren't where you would have put them, and you have to adjust your schedule around someone else," Daphne said. "Angie had quite the active social life, and every time she'd bring a man home I'd have to clear out of there. And of course I would have felt too awkward to bring any of me own dates back, not when I was sleeping on the couch. It was a relief when I saved up enough and found an apartment, even if it was smaller than hers. There's just something about having a place all your own, isn't there?"

Niles nodded slowly, and found himself smiling at her. "That's true."

"And even if it isn't quite as nice as you're used to, at least it's all yours, and you can feel comfortable there," she added.

"There is that," Niles agreed. "Thank you, Daphne. I actually do feel better about this."

"Good," she said, and stood, gathering up the coffee cups. "But no rush," she continued. "I think your father and brother like your cooking better than mine, and it certainly is a nice break for me."

Niles hid a grin behind a bite of toast. "Nonsense," he said. "You're an excellent cook."

"You really think so?" she asked.

"Definitely," Niles said, then hastily pressed a napkin below his nose. "Excuse me, I better go get ready. I have patients today."

He hurried down the hall and into Frasier's room, then closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He sighed and closed his eyes for a long moment. She was always so kind to him, and made him feel better without even trying. He was going to miss that when Frasier eventually ran out of patience and kicked him out.

**000**

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"It's not so bad," Frasier said. He sat on the bed in his room, watching as Niles slowly packed clothes into his suitcase. "Great location, and just think of how much easier it will be to keep a place that size clean."

Niles gave his brother a skeptical glance. "You're just glad to have me out of here."

"No, no, I mean it," Frasier insisted. "Once you redecorate a little, it will be quite cozy."

"Ha," Niles muttered derisively. "The Shangri-La has all the charm of a prison cell, mixed with the cheerful ambiance of a cardboard box in an alley. I don't see why we couldn't have spent more time looking for something better."

Frasier lifted one hand in an exasperated wave. "Nothing we looked at would have been up to your standards and you know it. That place was as good as any of them."

Niles perched on the edge of his cot and eyed his array of air filters and fans. "Am I really that difficult to live with?" he asked. "Two weeks, and you couldn't wait to see me out the door?"

"You did make me late for my interview," Frasier pointed out with some asperity. "But that's not the point. The point is that you need to assert your independence, and adapt to your new situation. Staying with me just means living in denial."

"I like denial," Niles retorted. "It's comfortable and familiar."

Frasier chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure you're used to it by now."

"What does that mean?"

"Niles…" Frasier shook his head. "Come on, you were in denial for years while you were with Maris. Telling yourself that you were happy and everything was fine, and that you could accept the way she treated you. This is more of the same, except now you're telling yourself that nothing has changed, and that you can still enjoy the same standard of living you had before. It's time to accept the reality that your life has changed, that things are not going to be the same."

Niles nodded and stared down at his hands, laced together between his knees. "It was nice, staying with you for a little while. Like being a kid again; you, me, and dad all under the same roof." He paused, and gave a rueful laugh. "Now that I think of it, that explains why you were so eager to leave home as soon as you finished high school. You didn't like sharing a room with me then any more than you like it now."

Frasier crossed the room to sit beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Stop it, Niles. You're my brother and I love you, and if I truly believed the healthiest thing for you was to stay here, then you'd be welcome."

"Well," Niles said softly. "Thank you." Frasier squeezed his shoulder, and he took a deep breath. "I better finish packing."

"I'll leave you to it," Frasier said.

He left the room, and Niles bundled his white noise machine and his hypoallergenic sheets together, and stacked them on top of his suitcase. He looked through the windows behind Frasier's bed, admiring the view. The lone window at the Shangri-La looked out on an alley, and the brick face of the next building only a few feet away. Niles rubbed a hand over his face and shook himself a little, determined not to sink into the depression that kept pulling at him.

There was a soft tap at the door, and then Daphne poked her head in. "Doctor Crane? Do you need any help moving your things?"

"No, thank you, Daphne," he said, and dredged up a smile for her. "There isn't much."

She nodded and moved closer. "Are you all right? You seem a bit sad. I would have thought you'd be glad to have your own place."

"I am," he said, "although it's not exactly the apartment of my dreams."

"You've still got that," she replied. "That lovely posh place at the Montana. This is just temporary until your divorce is all through, and then you can move back."

Niles nodded. "That is, if I've got anything left when Maris is through with me."

"Of course you will," Daphne told him. "She can't drag it out forever. You know, I think I misjudged Mrs. Crane before."

Niles raised a curious eyebrow. "You did? How so?"

"Well…" Daphne gave him a slightly sheepish look. "The way she treated you before, I always thought she must not care about you very much. I held me tongue about it, it was none of me business, but now that things are over I can admit that it would make me so angry every time she ignored you or took advantage of you."

"Really?" Niles frowned. "But you didn't misjudge her, you're right, she didn't care about me very much. I'm afraid I tried a lot harder to make our marriage work than she did."

"But look at her now," Daphne replied. "Doing everything she can to hurt you, just because you won't take her back. Seems to me that she finally realized what she's losing, and she's a fool for letting you go."

Niles felt a slow smile spreading across his face. "You really think so?"

Daphne ducked her head, and Niles was delighted to see a light flush on her cheeks. "I do," she said. "Why, just having you here these last two weeks, I can see how good-hearted and sweet you are. I mean, I always knew that, but you get to know someone a little better when you live with them, don't you?"

"I… thank you, Daphne," Niles said. "That means more to me than you know."

"Oh, Doctor Crane," she said, and gave him an impulsive hug. Niles pressed his cheek against her shoulder and put his arms around her. She stroked a hand down his back and he leaned into the touch, sighing. "Don't you worry," she told him. "It's going to get better."

"I'll miss having you around," Niles said when she pulled back. "It was nice." His stomach fluttered nervously and he swallowed, then plunged ahead. "Maybe you could visit me sometime, at my new place? It would be good to have some company."

"I'd love to." She smiled at him, her eyes warm and sparkling.

"Good," he replied. "I'll look forward to it." He cast an anxious glance at her from the corner of his eye, and caught her smiling in a way that looked almost giddy.

"All right then," she said, and for a moment it seemed she would say something else, but instead she just walked out of the room.

**000**

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Niles picked up his violin statue and moved it to his table, then leaned back, looking at it. The sleek, polished wood of the statue only made the cheap table look worse. He sighed and moved it back to the dresser by the door. The place felt so bare, but none of his décor really seemed to fit. The previous tenant had favored random pictures of birds and plain, cream colored furniture. It felt like a cross between a hotel room and a hunting lodge.

Sinking onto the couch, Niles turned on the TV and flipped channels for a few minutes. A documentary about cello players briefly caught his interest, but the sound was tinny at best and the picture skipped periodically. Cable was included in the rent but Niles suspected that the landlord had just pirated someone else's line rather than actually pay for the service.

He turned the TV off and wandered into his little kitchenette. He stood in front of the open fridge for a minute, but although he hadn't had anything since lunch, making a snack seemed like more effort than it was worth. Niles wrinkled his nose at the faintly dank scent wafting from the fridge. He'd cleaned it (and everything else) shortly after moving in but it still didn't seem to work quite right.

"It's only temporary," Niles murmured to himself. He had already called Maris and given his new address; the smug tone of her voice when she heard had rankled a bit, but as Frasier pointed out, this was the price he had to pay for his freedom.

Niles loosened his tie, then tugged it off, rolling the silk neatly and tucking it into one corner of his small dresser. His jacket followed, hung carefully in the little closet, and he undid the top two buttons of his shirt. It felt like the kind of evening he'd often had since his marriage had ended; the kind where he sat alone at home and tried to find ways to pass the time.

Of course, without his library or his study, he was without most of his usual distractions. All the patient notes in his briefcase were up to date, the apartment was dust-free and spotless, and the few things he'd had to unpack were all put away. He couldn't even go lose himself in the university library because it would make his parchment mite allergy act up.

Niles considered going to the rec room to try and meet a few of his neighbors, but decided against it. They seemed to like him, but it was the same way the popular kids had liked him in high school. He was an amusing source of entertainment for them, someone to tease and make fun of. They were a good natured bunch and it wasn't the level of bullying or cruelty he'd faced as a teenager, but he still didn't feel up to dealing with it tonight.

He was about to sink back onto the couch and give the TV another try when the doorbell rang. Niles opened the door to find Daphne on the other side, holding a vase full of daisies and a plastic grocery bag. He blinked in surprise and stood aside to let her in.

"Daphne," he said, "how lovely to see you. What brings you here?"

"Hello Doctor Crane," she said. "I was out running a few errands and I saw these flowers at the store. I thought they might brighten up your new place. Did you know it's right on the way to my usual shop? I've gone past this building a hundred times and never been inside." She set the flowers on the table and stepped back, looking at them. "What do you think?"

"Very nice," Niles said, and meant it. The daisies were a mix of white and yellow, and they brought a cheerful touch to the otherwise dreary little corner. "Thank you, that's just what this place needed."

"I'm glad you like it," she said. "Have you had dinner? I brought some of that prosciutto you like, and the farmer's market had some ripe melons, I thought we could make something quick." She was already unloading the grocery bag onto the kitchen counter as she spoke, crackers and a small wheel of camembert appearing beside the melon and the deli package.

"You didn't have to go to all this trouble," Niles said, a bit dazed.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," she insisted. "Like I said, you're right on the way. And…" She hesitated, then gave him an uncertain glance from over her shoulder. "Well, to be honest, I was a bit concerned about you. Since you moved out of your brother's place I haven't seen much of you, and when I do you're always just a little too quiet. You did say I could visit, so I decided to take you up on it. I mean, if that's all right with you?"

"Of course it's all right," Niles said. "I'm touched that you were worried, but really, it's not necessary. I'm doing just fine."

"I'm sure you are," she agreed. "But would you mind terribly if I stopped by on my way back from the shops from time to time?"

Niles stood beside her and picked up half the melon, then began cutting it into thin slices. "I'd love to have you," he said. "I mean… I'd love to have you here. I mean, I like the company." He pressed his lips together to stop himself from saying anything else.

She laughed softly. "Good. To tell the truth, I got used to seeing you while you were living with us. You're the only one who doesn't seem to mind me stories about Manchester and me brothers. Doctor Crane and your father always make a face like a wet weekend when I start one of them."

"Well, I like your stories," Niles said. She gave him a dazzling smile and he leaned against the counter to steady himself.

They arranged their snack on the coffee table and settled on the couch, and Daphne leaned back to look around the apartment. "It's actually rather nice," she said. "The way Doctor Crane was talking about it, I expected something awful but this isn't so bad."

Niles gave a disbelieving snort. "Thank you for being charitable, but come on."

"No, really," she replied. "It's warm and clean and you've got everything you really need."

"Well," Niles said, looking at her, "I do now."

She smiled and ducked her head. "Oh, Doctor Crane, you always say the nicest things."

"Can I ask you something, Daphne?"

"Of course."

"Why won't you call me Niles?"

She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "I know you've asked me to before, but it just never seemed appropriate. Call me old fashioned, but I believe in a certain level of professionalism and I am an employee, after all. I behave a certain way when I'm at work."

"But you're not at work," Niles pointed out.

Daphne shook her head. "Yes I am, Doctor Crane's apartment is my place of work, even though I live there. I do consider you all family but I take my job seriously."

"I know you do," Niles replied. "And you do it wonderfully. I don't know what Dad would do without you. I don't know what any of us would."

She smiled at him. "Thank you. So you see why?"

Niles nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. While you're at Frasier's place, you're at work."

"Right."

"But while you're here…" Niles gave her a hopeful smile. "Maybe, instead of being an employee, you could just be my friend? To be honest, I could use one of those."

Her expression softened and she put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course I'm your friend," she said. "You've always been so good to me, every time you come over you always have a smile and a kind word for me." She hesitated, and then added, "Niles."

He felt a giddy grin spread across his face, and he shivered. "Thank you, Daphne."

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

"Come in," Niles said, smiling at Daphne. "Dinner's nearly ready."

"Hi Niles," she said. "I'm glad you invited me over tonight, things at home have been a bit tense lately."

"Oh, why is that?"

"Well, your brother is still looking for a job, you know, and he's been home all the time, and Mr. Crane is getting a bit tired of it I think. They've been bickering more and more, and I just try to stay out of the middle." She gave an exasperated sigh and sank onto the couch.

Niles made a sympathetic _tsk _sound and handed her a glass of wine. Sitting beside her, he took a sip from his own glass and asked, "I thought KACL was going to drop the salsa format? Frasier was telling me that their ratings came in quite low."

She shrugged. "He said that to me too, but apparently he heard that the station owner wanted to stick with that format anyway. He came home in a foul mood this afternoon, yelled at Mr. Crane for ten minutes about Eddie running into the balcony door and leaving marks on it, and then turned on me because I didn't put his wine back in order after I dusted the shelf."

"That's terrible," Niles said. "I'll talk to him, it's completely unfair of him to take this out on you. It's certainly not your fault."

"Oh, don't do that," she said, shaking her head. "That'll only make it worse. I can certainly put up with a bit of scolding now and then. Compared to me mother, Doctor Crane is a sweetheart."

"No, I mean it," Niles insisted. "When I was staying with him, I realized how much you do around there. I don't think they appreciate you enough."

She gave him a grateful smile. "You're so kind but please, don't rock the boat. To be honest, I'm a bit worried that he's going to…" Daphne trailed off and fiddled with her glass of wine, frowning down at it.

"Going to what?"

"Well, going to let me go," she admitted. "He's not working, his savings won't last forever, and if he starts trimming the budget a bit, I'll probably be the first to go."

"Daphne, he would never do that," Niles said. He put an arm around her and she leaned into him immediately, resting her head on his shoulder. He took a deep breath of her familiar scent and smiled. "Frasier would be lost without you, and so would Dad. So would I."

She laughed softly. "You? You don't even live there anymore."

"I'd be lost anyway," Niles replied quietly. She didn't say anything, but he could feel her grow still at his side, and his stomach flipped nervously. "Um, well," he said, and hurried to his feet. "I should check on that chicken, excuse me."

He pulled the chicken out of the oven, and made a pleased hum as the rich, garlicky scent wafted up. Daphne opened a cupboard beside him and pulled out plates. She set the table while he carved slices of roast chicken, and then dished up the salad. The grilled potato slices sizzled invitingly when he took the lid off, and the carrots were steamed to perfection.

"This is lovely," Daphne said when they'd sat down to eat. "I did miss your cooking."

"I missed having someone to cook for," Niles replied. "I do enjoy it, but never got much practice at it before."

"Well you must have cooked all the time for Mrs. Crane," Daphne said.

Niles shook his head with a wry smile. "No, the closest I ever got to that was bringing her a bottle of mineral water and a handful of pills."

"Oh." Daphne gave him a sympathetic look, then brightened. "But now you can cook for yourself. It's important to have hobbies like that when you live alone. You and your brother have such good taste and a real appreciation for fine food. I bet you're always trying out new recipes."

"Mmm," Niles said noncommittally, and poured her a little more wine.

"Niles," she said, and he looked up, meeting her concerned gaze. "You do make yourself meals, right?"

"Of course," he said. "Well… usually. Sometimes."

She sighed and shook her head. "I thought so. You're looking too thin. You haven't been sleeping enough either, have you?"

Niles lifted his hands, palms out. "Daphne, please, there's nothing to worry about. I'm perfectly fine. I've only been living here a couple weeks, that's hardly enough time to have an effect anyway."

Daphne gave him a hard, assessing look. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," he replied. His nose gave a warning tickle and he pressed a napkin below it, then gave her a sheepish look. "Well, okay," he admitted. "It is a little hard to get used to sleeping here. The bed is too hard and the walls are too thin and my neighbor Jim seems to be fond of country music at all hours. There's nothing quite like the mournful sound of a banjo at two in the morning."

"Oh, Niles," she said, and patted his hand. "Now listen, I want you to promise you'll take better care of yourself. No skipping meals, and go get some earplugs or something."

"All right," he agreed. "I'll work on it."

"Good." She smiled at him over the rim of her wineglass. "I brought a movie for us to watch, is that all right? I'd just as soon give Doctor Crane time to mellow out a bit before I go home."

"Of course," Niles said. "Stay as long as you like." _Stay tonight, and tomorrow, and every day after that._

After they'd had dinner and cleaned up, Daphne put in the movie, which turned out to be _Ghost. _Niles raised a curious eyebrow at her, and she smiled and shrugged. "I like it," she said. "Call me a hopeless romantic if you want, but I've always had a soft spot for it."

"I've never seen it," Niles said.

"Oh, then you're in for a treat," she assured him. "Better get a box of tissues, this one always makes me cry."

"Okay," he said, a little uncertainly.

Before the movie was even half over, she was curled into his side, his arm around her while she sniffled into a tissue. He rested his cheek on her hair and sighed happily. The steady rhythm of her breathing was soothing, and he found himself dozing, the wine and big dinner making him sleepy. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, they had slid lower on the couch, her back against his chest and her arm tucked under his. Niles smiled and stretched out his legs. Daphne mumbled something and moved with him, her body relaxed and pliant in his arms.

The next time he opened his eyes the credits were rolling, and the soft notes of _Unchained Melody_ filled the room. Daphne was fast asleep, and Niles reached over her for the remote. He turned the TV off, then looked down at her. The apartment was dim, the only light coming from a lamp in the corner, and in the shadows her face was a beautiful, subtle study of curves and lines. He ran careful fingertips over her cheekbone, and tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. Then he pressed a soft kiss to her neck, lingering long enough to taste a faint hint of her skin.

She smiled and sighed in her sleep, and he settled more comfortably against her. With his back against the couch and her pressed close, he felt anchored and present, soothed by the simple nearness of someone he cared about. It had been too long.

Then he closed his eyes and drifted off for the night.

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

Niles drifted up slowly, reluctant to leave the warm and sweet place he'd been dreaming of. He took a deep breath, caught the faint scent of Daphne's shampoo, and paused. Opening one cautious eye, he saw early morning sunlight filtering in through his window, and the pale pink of Daphne's blouse, two inches in front of him. He froze, remembering the previous night.

They'd fallen asleep in front of the movie, and apparently spent the entire night on the couch. Niles winced as he tried to move his arm; Daphne was on top of it and it was numb, his shoulder ached, and his legs were protesting a night spent crammed into one small space. Despite all that, he felt better rested than he had in weeks, and Daphne's sleeping form was a welcome weight against his chest.

As he tried to pull his arm out from under her, she stirred and murmured sleepily. Then she rolled, and nearly fell off the couch; he wrapped his free arm around her waist to hold her in place and she jerked awake with a gasp.

"Oh my god," she said, sitting up. "I spent the night!" She turned and looked at him, wincing in dismay as he sat up and shook out his stiff shoulders. "Doctor Crane, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have let this happen. I can't imagine what you must think of me."

"Daphne," he said sharply, before she could say anything else. "First of all, we had an agreement. When we're here, I'm just your friend Niles, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"And there is nothing wrong with spending the night at a friend's place," he said, cutting her off. "This isn't your fault, we just fell asleep. You don't need to apologize for anything."

She relaxed a little, and gave him a grateful smile. "You're sure?"

"Absolutely. To be honest, that was the best night's sleep I've had in ages, and I feel much better for it."

Daphne shot him a skeptical look. "All curled up on the couch with me practically on top of you? That can't have been very pleasant."

Niles put a hand on her arm, his thumb stroking her wrist. "I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be."

Her eyes grew wide, and Niles pulled his hand back and swallowed hard. "Um," he said. "Would you like some coffee? Or toast? Or, uh, I think I have tea somewhere, let me see…" He hurried into the kitchen, walking a little awkwardly. His knee had been crooked all night and it ached when he tried to put weight on it, but he didn't want her to see him limping.

"I can't," Daphne said. She grabbed her jacket from the rack by the door, then paused and explained. "I should have been back hours ago, Doctor Crane and your father will be wanting breakfast and wondering where I am."

"Oh, right," Niles said. He walked her to the door and opened it for her, then stopped her with a hand on her elbow. "Daphne, listen, I'm glad you came over last night. And I'm glad you stayed."

"Thank you," she replied, with a warm smile. "Niles."

He grinned and rocked back on his heels, pleased. "We'll have to do it again sometime."

"I'd like that." She gave him a quick hug, and then was out the door and hurrying down the hall.

Niles shut the door and sighed, leaning back against it. Then he glanced at his watch and frowned; he had an early patient and he was going to be late if he didn't leave soon. He tossed a guilty glance at the kitchen as he headed toward the bathroom for a shower. Looked like he was going to be skipping breakfast again. So much for his promise to Daphne to stop doing that. He told himself firmly that he would have a big lunch.

Catching a glimpse of himself in the tiny mirror over his bathroom sink, Niles winced. His hair was flat on one side and sticking up on the other, his face was unshaven, and he had a crease on one cheek where he'd been pressed against the edge of the couch cushion. His shirt was wrinkled and hanging partly untucked and the collar was pulled out of shape. He looked a mess and Daphne hadn't even teased him about it. He couldn't help grinning as he hastily got ready for his shower. She really was an angel.

**000**

After his morning sessions, Niles found time to stop at the café for coffee and a pastry. Although it wasn't exactly a healthy meal, at least it was something. He hadn't been there ten minutes when Frasier walked in and dropped into the seat across from him with an affronted huff. Niles raised his eyebrows expectantly and waited for his brother to explain why he was glaring.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" Frasier asked.

Niles set his coffee down and folded his hands on the table. "What?"

"You know what," Frasier retorted. "Daphne spent the night at your place!"

Niles couldn't quite hide a smile. "Yes, she did."

"And?"

"And what?"

Frasier narrowed his eyes. "It didn't occur to you that we'd be worried when she didn't come home last night?"

"After the way you've behaved toward her, frankly you deserved to worry," Niles snapped.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you know what it means!" Niles caught his voice rising, and deliberately lowered it before people started to stare. "You've been insensitive, and demanding, and just plain _mean _because you're frustrated at being out of work which is not her fault! You have no right to take it out on her _or _Dad."

Frasier's mouth dropped open, and then he shut it with a snap. "Fine," he said. "_Fine._ I haven't been the most pleasant person to be around lately, granted. Maybe I have been a bit hard on her." He sighed and sagged a little in his chair. "But Niles, you have to admit that it was rather unkind of you to keep her all night without so much as a phone call. When she didn't come home after we'd had that little contretemps over the wine cupboard, I was worried she wasn't coming back."

"Yes, okay," Niles said. "To be honest, I didn't plan on her staying. We were just going to have dinner and we wound up falling asleep on the couch."

"Well." Frasier gave him a meaningful look. "Is that all that happened?"

"Isn't that enough?" Niles grinned and took another sip of coffee. "I feel better than I have in a long time, and all it took is one night with her by my side."

"She has been spending a lot of time at your place lately," Frasier pointed out. "And I know very well how you feel about her. When she came home this morning and told us where she'd been, it wasn't exactly hard to jump to certain conclusions."

Niles shook his head. "It was entirely platonic. I think she's only coming over because she's worried about me. She's so kind-hearted that way." He sighed and propped his chin in one hand, staring dreamily into space.

Frasier rolled his eyes. "Yes, all right, Niles. Do try and keep your feet on the ground."

"Don't worry, I know better than to get my hopes up," Niles said. "She only thinks of me as a friend, but being her friend is not such a bad thing."

"Mmm." Frasier nodded thoughtfully.

"I hope you weren't too hard on her for staying out all night," Niles said. "She really didn't mean to, it was more my fault for not waking her up."

"No, no, we had a good talk," Frasier replied. "I apologized for yelling at her yesterday and she said she'd be careful to let us know next time she plans on being gone."

Niles raised an eyebrow and smiled. Maybe that meant it would happen again someday. It was one thing to tell Frasier he wouldn't get his hopes up, but if he was being honest, he'd never really stopped hoping.

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

"No!" Niles said, and took a deep breath to keep his voice level. "That's preposterous. How could you even entertain an offer like that?"

"It's better than the last one," his lawyer pointed out weakly.

"That doesn't make it all right! How long can this keep going on? It's been nearly a month of delays and avoidance." He flopped onto his couch and looked wearily up at the ceiling, phone pressed to one ear.

"What she's doing isn't illegal, and unfortunately, I can't stop her from dragging the process out."

"Yes, and bleeding me dry in the meantime," Niles replied. "Which I suppose is the whole point. Can't you get the court date pushed up?"

"I'm working on it. I'll let you know."

Niles sighed. "Fine. Thank you." He hung up, then rubbed a hand over his face. He had hoped that after punishing him for a while, Maris would cool off and grant him the divorce, but it seemed like she wasn't anywhere near done yet. He gazed around the apartment, trying to come to terms with the idea of living here for longer, maybe even months longer.

It didn't bear thinking about. He got to his feet and poked through a few of the kitchen cupboards, looking for something appealing. He really had been trying to eat dinner regularly but sitting at that little table, looking out into the alley and eating alone was just too depressing. Worse, he hadn't been able to replenish his wine collection on his limited budget, so he couldn't even enjoy a glass in the evenings anymore.

Niles gave up on dinner and pulled his wall bed down. He might as well just go to bed early; it was barely nine in the evening but he was tired enough to consider it anyway. He changed methodically into pajamas, arranged his pillows, and then tried to get comfortable. A triangle of pale moonlight came through the window and stretched over the wall across from him, and he watched it move slowly as the moon rose.

He was starting to drift off when there was a sharp flurry of knocks on the door. Niles twitched in surprise and threw on a robe, then opened the door, blinking against the fluorescent glare in the hallway.

Daphne was on the other side, radiant in a plum colored dress, her hair pulled up in an elegant sweep, showing sparkling earrings. She would have been perfect, if not for the streaks of mascara running below her eyes. "Niles?" she said hopefully. "I'm sorry to drop by so late, but could I please come in for a moment?"

"Of course," Niles said, stepping back. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she said, then shook her head. "No, not really." She turned on the lamp in the corner, then seemed to register his robe and the mussed covers on the bed. "Oh, you were in bed, I'm so sorry. I should have called first, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Daphne," he said gently. He put a hand on her shoulder and guided her to the couch, then sat beside her. "You are always welcome. Now tell me what's wrong."

She shook her head, then pulled a tissue from her purse and dabbed at her eyes. "I must look a fright."

"You look beautiful," Niles replied. "Even more than usual."

Daphne smiled brilliantly at him. "You always know just what to say."

"I mean it," he said. "Why are you all dressed up?"

"I had a date."

"Oh," Niles replied quietly, and looked down at his hands so she wouldn't see his expression.

"My friend Amy set me up with this man, Rick, she said he was wonderful. I don't usually go in for blind dates, but I haven't been dating much lately and I felt like I needed to get back out there, so I went for it."

"Didn't go well?" Niles asked.

She gave a rueful laugh. "That's an understatement. We'd barely sat down to dinner when he started staring down me dress! Then when we opened the menus and he saw the prices, he said we better split the check. Before we even ordered!"

"That bounder!" Niles replied. "How dare he?"

"Well it's not so much the check, I'm all right with sharing that, but the staring did make me uncomfortable," Daphne said. "He kept at it, too. Do you know how hard it is to carry on a conversation with someone who can't keep his eyes on your face for ten seconds?"

"I hope you told him off."

"You bet I did," she said. "I couldn't eat, it was bothering me so much, so I told him I was leaving and the date was over, and he didn't even apologize! Instead he got angry and said I owed him for what I'd ordered, and I told him to go to hell, and he tried to kiss me goodnight!"

Niles scowled. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I know!" Daphne shook her head in disbelief. "And when I pushed him away, he kept trying anyway! I had to hit him with my purse to make him stop, it was awful. Everyone in the restaurant was staring and I ran out of there."

Niles put an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him, sniffling a little. "Daphne, I'm so sorry," he said. "You deserve so much better."

She sighed and slid a little closer. "Thank you. I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I keep choosing the wrong men."

"This was not your fault," he told her sternly. "If anything, blame your friend for setting you up with that man."

"I guess so," she said. "Thanks for listening to me."

"What are friends for?" Niles replied.

She smiled at him, then rested her head on his shoulder. "You're always so kind. I wish I could find someone like you."

Niles took a slow breath, and closed his eyes. "You know who's like me?" he asked quietly.

"Who?"

"I am. I'm like me."

She laughed and Niles swallowed hard against the sudden ache in his chest. "Right," she said, "like you, but not…"

"Not what?"

"Well, you know," Daphne replied, waving one hand.

"I'm afraid I don't."

She turned and looked at him, and he met her eyes for a moment before looking away. "Oh," she said. "Oh my god, you're serious."

Niles could feel his cheeks burning and he ducked his head. "Never mind, clearly that was a bad idea."

"Niles…"

"Just forget I said anything," he insisted. "It's late, I'm tired, I'm not thinking straight."

"Well… all right then," Daphne replied slowly. "I guess I should be going then. Let you get some rest."

Niles nodded and forced a polite smile. "That's probably for the best. Good night, Daphne."

"Good night, Niles," she said.

He managed to hold onto his smile until the door was closed behind her.

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

Niles poured a little cream into his coffee, and watched as the white swirled, then faded into the dark liquid. He stared at it blankly, not hearing the busy café around him. Wrapping both hands around the cup, he let the warmth sink in, but it didn't reach far enough. He took a sip without really tasting it.

"Niles?"

He raised his head slowly. "Roz. Hi."

"Wow, didn't you hear me? I called your name three times."

"Oh," he said. "Sorry. I was distracted."

She tilted her head to one side and frowned at him. "Mind if I join you? It's pretty crowded today."

"Go ahead." Niles moved his briefcase aside to give her room for her shopping bag.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

Niles nodded automatically. "Fine."

She leveled a skeptical look across the table. "Okay, what's her name?"

"What? Who?" Niles asked, startled.

"I know a broken heart when I see one," Roz replied. "Go on, spill."

"I'm not… well, okay, if you must know, yes," Niles admitted. "That's pretty accurate. But I don't see how it's any of your business."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on," she said. "Maybe I can help! I do have some experience in this area, you know."

"This is a little more serious than when the romance goes out of the relationship in the morning because you've forgotten his name," Niles said snippily.

Roz took that in stride with a low chuckle, and shrugged. "Fine, sit there and be miserable."

Niles folded his arms and gave an impatient huff. Then he cast her a wary, sidelong glance. "Promise not to tell anyone?"

"Oh, I swear," she said easily.

"I mean it," he insisted. "Especially not… the lady in question."

"So it's someone I know?" Roz grinned. Then her eyes widened, and she said, "Oh my god, it's Daphne, isn't it?"

Niles felt his jaw drop, and remembered to close it after a moment. "How did you know?"

"Oh, get real," Roz scoffed. "I see the way you look at her. I know how to tell when a man is interested." She leaned forward, propped her elbows on the table, and gave him a conspiratorial smile. "So you guys hooked up? How long as this been going on? Does Frasier know?"

"No, too long, and yes," Niles replied. He sighed and looked down at his coffee again. "I've had… I've been… well, to be honest, I've been in love with her for years."

"Wow," Roz said slowly. "Seriously? I mean, I knew you were attracted to her, that's obvious, but you've had a thing for Daphne all this time and you never told her?" She shook her head, laughing. "I'm sorry Niles, but that's kind of pathetic."

"I was a happily married man!" Niles retorted.

"You were never happy," Roz said. "And you've been separated for over two years!"

Niles lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "Yes, well, the time just never seemed right."

"You better find the right time soon," Roz told him. "She won't be on the market forever."

"Well, actually…"

"What?" Roz tilted her head to catch his eye. "Did you tell her?"

"Kind of," Niles said. "And she laughed."

"Oh." Roz winced in sympathy and patted his hand. "That's harsh. I'm sorry. No wonder you look so depressed."

He nodded. "At least now I know."

"Wait, she laughed?" Roz asked. "That doesn't seem like Daphne. Even if the answer was no, she'd at least let you down easy."

"She thought I was joking," Niles explained. "She told me about a terrible date she'd had, and I listened and told her she deserved better. She said she wished she could find someone like me, and I pointed out that I could be that person, and she thought it was a joke."

"But then you told her you meant it? You told her how you feel?"

"Well…" Niles shifted uneasily. "She realized I meant it, and she apologized, but by then I just couldn't take another rejection and I told her to forget it."

"You just gave up?" Roz asked. "Come on, you're not the first guy in the world to be friend zoned. It doesn't have to be permanent."

Niles raised an eyebrow. "Friend zoned? What does that mean?"

"It's where you have feelings for someone, but they just think of you as a friend. You get stuck in the friend zone and this person can't see you as anything else."

"Oh," he said. "Well yes, I suppose that's about right."

"But it doesn't have to stay that way," she said. "Tell her you weren't kidding. Tell her how you really feel."

"I can't," Niles said, putting a hand up to stop her. "Do you know how hard it was to say something the first time? I can't go through that again. Besides, if I tell her and she says no, how can we continue just being friends? It would be horribly awkward. I don't want to lose her as a friend."

"Look, think of it this way," Roz said. "What if she says yes? Is she worth the risk?"

Niles opened his mouth, then shut it again, and nodded slowly. "Yes. She is."

"So?"

"Okay," he said. "I'll do it." His stomach flipped nervously at the thought and he could feel his hands trembling, but he stuck his jaw out stubbornly. "I'm going to tell her."

"Good!" Roz said. "Don't chicken out."

"I won't," Niles said. _I hope._

__**TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

"Hello, Niles."

"Frasier." Niles stepped past his brother into the apartment. "Is Daphne here?"

"I think she's in her room," Frasier said. "Why?"

"I need to talk to her."

Frasier caught him by the arm and held him still. "About what?"

"I'm not letting you talk me out of it this time," Niles said.

"Niles…" Frasier sighed and gave him a measuring look. "Does this have anything to do with what happened a few days ago?"

Niles paused, and schooled his expression. "What do you mean?"

"Daphne went out to meet a blind date a friend had set her up on. She came home early, and very quiet, and she's been acting strangely ever since," Frasier told him. "She says nothing's wrong but something is obviously on her mind."

"Oh," Niles said. "She didn't tell you anything else?"

"No, do you know something about it?"

"Well…" Niles cast an anxious glance toward the hall leading to Daphne's room, and then lowered his voice. "She left the date early after he was an absolute cad, and came to my place. And I kind of suggested that she go out with me instead."

Frasier's eyebrows shot up. "You did? What did she say?"

"She didn't take it seriously," Niles muttered. "Let's say it didn't end well. I need to try and fix this."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Frasier asked.

"No, not really," Niles admitted. "But I can't keep dithering about this. I've already waited too long. I'm telling her everything."

"Maybe you should give her time to come to terms with the idea," Frasier said. "You made the first move by asking her out, now let her think about it."

"No," Niles said sharply. "I've followed that advice too many times already. No more waiting. Besides, I didn't really ask her out. Not exactly, it was kind of… implied."

"I see," Frasier said. "So you could pretend it wasn't serious in case she said no?"

Niles spread his hands. "I don't know, I didn't plan it. I just know I got it wrong, and now obviously she's upset and I have to do something. I can't leave it like this."

"What are you going to say to her?"

Niles just shook his head. "Don't ask me to do that, I'll just over think it and lose my nerve. Right now, I only need you to wish me luck and let me go."

Frasier squeezed his shoulder. "Okay. Good luck, Niles."

"Thanks." He offered his brother a weak smile, and then took a deep breath and walked down the hall.

Niles rested his forehead against the door frame outside Daphne's room and closed his eyes, waiting for his stomach to settle. He could hear his breathing whistling in his throat, and he made himself slow down, holding each breath for a deliberate count of three before letting it go. He knocked softly on the door.

Daphne opened it after a moment, and her eyes widened when she saw him. She gave him a strained smile. "Oh," she said. "Doctor Crane."

"Daphne, could I speak to you for a moment please?"

She nodded and stepped back to let him in. He turned and looked at her as she shut the door, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "So," he started, "about the other night."

Daphne raised a hand to stop him. "Please, let me go first."

"Of course," Niles said.

She tugged nervously at her shirt, then folded her arms. "I wanted to apologize," she began. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. It wasn't very nice of me, and I feel bad about it. I was just so surprised, and I thought you couldn't really mean it."

Niles shook his head. "You don't have to apologize," he said. "I went about it entirely the wrong way."

"No," she said, "you were very sweet. You've always been so kind to me and I guess I just never realized… well, I thought it was just because you've got a good heart and you treat everyone well. I didn't know there was… more."

"There's more," Niles said softly.

She finally met his eyes, and he was startled to see tears shining in hers. "How much more?" she asked.

"Oh, Daphne." He took a careful step, then another, until he could put his hands on her shoulders and draw her close. "I've loved you for so long."

She caught her breath, and he felt her tremble under his hands. Then she flung her arms around him and buried her face against his shoulder, and he held her. He stroked one hand over her back, soothing her, and she sighed deeply. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"What?" he asked. "Why?"

"All this time…" She pulled back far enough to look at him, her face inches away. "I didn't know."

"Not your fault," he said. "I didn't tell you."

"You did," she insisted. "You told me so many ways. All the little gifts, the way you always stand up for me, and you always have something nice to say to me. You listen and you make me feel better when I'm down, and you've been my best friend."

Niles tried to quell the sharp bite of tears at the back of his throat. "I'm glad," he said. "At least I could be your friend."

"No, Niles," she said, and smiled at him. "You can be more." And she kissed him, and he forgot how to breathe.

**END**


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